The university said in a news release Monday that the total broke last year's record of $152 million. It also was the first time in the 70-year history of the Kansas State University Foundation that giving surpassed $200 million.

The donations include $89 million in endowed funds, which are primarily used for student scholarships, faculty chairs and professorships. University president Kirk Schulz said in the statement the record amount of endowed funds would help the school become a Top 50 public research university by 2025.

The statement says 63 percent of the $211 million is available for immediate use, with the rest in pledges and deferred gifts.

Relatives of the three people killed in last year's shootings at the Overland Park Jewish Community Center and a nearby nursing home have a plan to remember their loved ones with random acts of kindness.